Niteblade News

I’ve got another review, and it’s for another great poetry chapbook. This one comes in a numbered limited edition as well, and I am such a book geek that I find that a big selling point. Of course, what matters most is the content, so let’s get to that.

I should start off by stating my bias. I’ve been a fan of Greg’s poetry ever since I first saw “Hall of Shadows” and “The Pumpkin Man” in my slush pile over a year ago. Greg has a fantastic sense of humor, a dark side and a wonderful talent for balancing the two. That has never been as obvious to me as when I read Bits and Pieces.

Bits and Pieces is a chapbook of Greg’s new and selected poetry. It’s published by Spec House of Poetry and is, in my opinion, a must-have collection. Between the eighteen poems collected within Greg manages to cover a vast amount of the dark poetry spectrum. Some poems made me laugh, some caused a groan and a few gave me shivers. One or two pieces managed to evoke all three reactions at once.

Each poem tells a story and a great many of them lingered in my mind long after I’d shut the book and walked away. They lack pretension and will appeal to those who love poetry as well as to those who are usually frightened by it (the form, not the content). Greg’s style is one that reaches out to the uninitiated and slowly draws them into his world.

One of my favorite pieces was an unnamed three line poem that begins, “Danny, Danny” which haunted my thoughts for hours after I read it. It niggled at my brain and whispered about the possible implications of the last line; none of them good. Another favorite was “The Monster in my Closet” which takes a common childhood fear, turns it on its head and dresses it in drag. It made me laugh out loud when I read it. I may even have snorted.

In short, I highly recommend Greg Schwartz Bits and Pieces to all readers of Niteblade because if you like what you read on our pages you will adore it. Honest.

I’ve decided to start doing short book reviews here in the blog — I get more review requests than we have space for in the ezine and I hate having to turn anyone away. My first review is of a chapbook by Brandy Schwan, published by Apex Book Company.

Catacombs and Photographs is, as far as I can tell, the second book from poet Brandy Schwan, and it is well worth reading. When I first saw my copy I thought ‘Oh, a portrait of the poet for the cover. Well, this is doing to be a self-indulgent pile of crap’ but I was wrong. SO wrong. The cover, an image of Brandy looking sweet and slightly mischeivious is actually the perfect juxtaposition for the poetry inside.

The pieces in Catacombs and Photographs alternate between being darkly erotic and eerily child-like. I know that sounds like it could make for a creepy combination, and it does, but only in the best possible way. My favorite poems, were I to chose, would be “Mary Jane” and “Illness of Alice”.

“Mary Jane” is a slow, sensual poem that gave me shivers. I love the atmosphere of it and each word fit in its place perfectly, like a pearl. There were echos, even here, in this hauntingly erotic poem of the child-like aspects I mentioned earlier; repetition much like in the children’s chant ‘Rain rain go away’, but it worked. It worked and is awesome.

“Illness of Alice” is one of those poems that sticks with you long after you’ve finished reading it. It is, quite simply, brilliant. When I first read it I liked it, its theme, its mood. Then I re-read it and caught things I’d somehow missed before. Things that seem completely obvious the second time through, things like the posies… I won’t say more lest I ruin the poem for you, but it is beautifully wrought and well worth reading again and again.

The way I understand it Catacombs and Photographs will be released on Halloween as a limited edition signed chapbooks (only 100 will be released). If I didn’t already have a copy I’d be the first in line to pre-order…but I do. You don’t though, do you?

Catacombs and Photographs

The Science Fiction Poetry Association is pleased to announce its third annual web poetry contest.

Entries are free and must be submitted between August 1st and August 31st. Poems may be of any form, of 20-lines or less, and must be on the theme of ENERGY. This theme may be interpreted in a variety of ways; these include metaphysical, magical, and mystical, as well as those energies attributed to scientific realms. This is a speculative poetry contest, so submissions must have a science fiction, fantasy, or horror element.

First prize is $100 cash, SFPA website publication, Waterman pen and journal, a signed hardcopy copy of The Journey to Kailash by Mike Allen, a copy of In the Yaddith Time by Ann K. Schwader, and a one year SFPA membership.

Second prize is $40 cash, SFPA website publication, an original painting by Marge Simon (the winner’s choice of three), one year subscription to Dreams & Nightmares, and a copy of Riffing on Strings, edited by Sean Miller & Shveta Verma.

Third prize is $20 cash, SFPA website publication, a copy of Lost Innocence: A Niteblade Anthology edited by Rhonda Parrish, and a copy of Sporty Spec: Games of the Fantastic edited by Karen A. Romanko.

Other prizes include The Poet’s Workshop – and Beyond by Terrie Leigh Relf, M.A., Covenant by Elissa Malcoln, a copy of each available Spec House of Poetry title, and a copy of Passionate Eye: The Collected
Writings of Suzanne Vega by Suzanne Vega.

Please check the link below for more detailed information and guidelines.
http://www.sfpoetry.com/2008poetrycontest.html

The SFPA has posted complete list of Rhysling nominees on their webpage. You should check it out here. The list includes some names that are very familiar to Niteblade

Good luck everyone!

The results are in for the Preditors and Editors poll and we have quite a bit to celebrate Niteblade placed in the top ten in two separate categories and it’s all thanks to you.

Marge Simon placed 6th in the Magazine Art category for her cover for the December issue of Niteblade and Niteblade is sharing 10th place in the Poetry Publication results.

Not too shabby for a fledgling magazine, eh?*

*I’m Canadian, I’m allowed, no, required, to say eh

I’ve just received confirmation that the nominations I sent in for the 2008 Rhysling Poetry Awards (for poems first published in 2007) have been received, so I now feel confident I didn’t screw up and can announce that on behalf of Niteblade I nominated two poems for Rhysling Awards.

First, in the short poem category I nominated The Night Silent by Christopher Hivner. I loved the quiet creepiness of this poem. It stole over my consciousness the same way the vines…Ah, I don’t want to ruin it for those of you who haven’t read it yet. **smile**

Secondly, in the long poem category I nominated The Spiders in the Sky by Richard Pitaniello. Though I am usually more a fan of short poetry than long, when I read The Spiders in the Sky it really spoke to me. I thoroughly enjoyed it in a way I can’t say about many long pieces.

Congratulations Richard and Christopher — and good luck.

Niteblade is now a member of the Science Fiction Poetry Association, and as such, is able to nominate poems for the Rhysling Award. Just one more reason to consider Niteblade as a home for your poetry!

Be sure and check out their website because they often have contests and you wouldn’t want to miss out on them!